Sacramento area museums go big for BIG Day of Giving on May 3

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The impressive, dedicated and diverse Sacramento area museum community is gearing up for the 2016 BIG Day of Giving happening on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in hopes local contributors will choose to support their endeavors during this special one-day giving challenge. Now in its third year, the BIG Day of Giving has raised nearly $9 million for nonprofits serving the local region.

The Sacramento area is rich with an amazing array of state-of-the-art museums and historic sites that offer visitors the chance to explore California’s fine art, history, science, and wildlife treasures all year long. For the 2016 BIG Day of Giving, more than a dozen of Sacramento Association of Museum members are participating in the community-wide effort, including:

Aerospace Museum of California

California Automobile Museum

California Museum

California State Railroad Museum

Crocker Art Museum

Fairytale Town

Powerhouse Science Center Discovery Campus

Sacramento Children’s Museum

Sacramento History Museum

Sacramento Zoo

Sojourner Truth African American Museum

Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park

Verge Center for the Arts

In addition, a number of the participating museums and destinations are offering special activities and promotions on the BIG Day of Giving such as at the Sacramento Zoo where Charlie the Great Horned Owl will operate as the special “spokesbird” for the day. Over at the California State Railroad Museum and the Sacramento History Museum, they are offering a complimentary chocolate treat to guests who stop by the respective museums on May 3 to find out more about the BIG Day of Giving (that falls during Old Sacramento Chocolate Week). Nearby at the California Automobile Museum, they are offering a “pay what you wish” for admissions and scooping Vic’s ice cream all day along with other fun activities. The Sacramento Pioneer Association has generously offered to match BIG Day of Giving contributions for Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park (up to $5,000) to help support ongoing restoration efforts. And, all donations of $100 or more to the California Museum will receive a free one-year Explorer level membership with reciprocal admission benefits at more than 800 institutions.

The BIG Day of Giving challenge begins at midnight on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, and all donations must be made online at www.bigdayofgiving.org. For more information about upcoming activities offered by Sacramento area museums, “like” them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SacMuseums, follow them on Twitter @SacMuseums or visit www.SacMuseums.org.

About the Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM)

Comprised of 30 greater Sacramento area museums working in partnership with the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, SAM’s mission is to raise awareness of local museums by giving the community the opportunity to discover California’s fine art, history, science and wildlife treasures. SAM achieves its mission through implementing cooperative promotions and developing strategic marketing alliances, by encouraging sharing of knowledge and resources among its partner institutions. For more information, visit www.SacMuseums.org.